The temperature outside the doors of the Orpheum Theater was hovering somewhere below zero most of Friday night. Inside, however, there was a different feel. Aided by a Wild West-type backdrop and the neon cacti of Kacey Musgraves’ stage design, it was pretty easy to forget about the barrage of cold air waiting after the concert.
Like the dichotomy between indoors and outdoors, Musgraves’ performance oscillated between two extreme poles of energy.
While there were some high points such as Musgraves’ rendition of “Mama’s Broken Heart,” Miranda Lambert’s song co-written by Musgraves, and “Merry Go Round,” there seemed to also be an equal number of songs that didn’t translate well into a live performance. Tracks like “Back on the Map” and “High Times” felt sleepy. At one point during “Back on the Map,” someone in the crowd said, “C’mon, wake me up Kacey.”
There are a few explanations why some of Musgraves’ set felt a little tired. It could be the distinctive nature of her music; Musgraves’ songs tend to defy the current trend in country music of rollicking instrumentation and party lyrics. Instead, she opts for songs that are more within themselves and toned down. Without complete emotional investment, which Musgraves seemed to lack, these types of songs would fall flat in anyone’s set.
Another explanation could simply be fatigue. Having toured long and hard since releasing Same Trailer Different Park in March 2013, Musgraves may just be burned out. This came through in canned banter, especially early in the set.
“I’m so excited to be here tonight,” Musgraves said unconvincingly after the first song, “Silver Lining.”
This insincere attempt at engagement came not long after she asked the crowd if they were “ready to have a good-ass time,” as if she’d uttered these same words to hundreds of crowds before them.
The set remained drowsy until the middle when Musgraves busted out a strong 1-2 cover punch in Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart” and TLC’s “No Scrubs.” Musgraves grabbed the crowd’s attention back with these two. While “Broken Heart” sounded a lot like the original, her cover of the R&B/soul group from the ’90s was a bold move and it paid off. Though this cover has been a part of Musgraves’ live show for a while, her immaculate voice made it sound fresh as ever.
Her voice was the most pleasant surprise of the show. In the age of vocal effects and studio sheen, it was refreshing that Musgraves’ voice sounded every bit as beautiful in person as on her recordings. There really wasn’t a single bit she sang that didn’t sound just as good as her recorded work.
In a show that lacked a feeling of connectedness, the part of the show that resonated the most were the first two songs of the encore, “Biscuits” and “Cup of Tea,” which Musgraves performed solo. These are some of the more sentimental songs in Musgraves’ already very sentimental catalog, and she added real emotion to the show for one of the few times in the set.
The encore finished strongly with a cover of “These Boots are Made for Walkin’,” Musgraves’ biggest song, “Follow Your Arrow” and an a capella cover version of “Happy Trails.”
Musgraves, in many ways, exists in an in between state. While trying to keep within arm’s reach from the traps of modern pop country, she is still shooting for radio success, placing her in country limbo. Going against the conservative country music establishment, Musgraves is kind of out on a limb. This placelessness shows through in her live performance, which is lackluster. If she could find a little more stage presence to pair with her pristine singing voice, Musgraves could be a real force in live country music.
